EXCLUSIVE: Director Clint Eastwood has set Christopher Walken to star inJersey Boys, the Warner Bros and GK Films feature adaptation of the hit stage musical. Walken will play the role of Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo, the Jersey mobster who, in the show, served an unofficial consigliere role to the young singers as they tried to build their careers without falling into the grip of organized crime. The film was scripted by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and production begins mid-September in Los Angeles. Graham King and Rob Lorenz are producing and Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio are the exec producers. The Tony-winning stage musical has grossed more than $1 billion for all its incarnations. Deadline revealed that Eastwood was not going to cast major stars to play the young singers but rather select them from the various casts taking the stage nightly. Reports are that Eastwood chose Vincent Piazza, John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, and Michael Lomenda. Walken will be the first of several stars who’ll add some name recognition to the production.

As for Walken, he’s coming off A Late Quartet and Seven Psychopaths, the latter of which he starred in for Martin McDonagh, who directed Walken to a Tony nomination in A Behanding In Spokane. Walken is repped by ICM Partners.

29 Comments

Magnus • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Walken is great in everything he does. He should have got Best Supporting Actor in True Romance… unfortunately, I think we have lost the ability to do a decent musical. And if you mention Les Mis, I will throw up.

jmp • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Please, don’t underestimate Clint Eastwood- at least he is hiring young actors that have actual acting and singing talent.

teabaggers • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Must be killllling Zadan and Meron that they’re not producing this!

Ryan in L.A. • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Love Walken but shudder at the thought of another Eastwood movie. I hope he doesn’t dim the lighting to near-invisibility like he did with “J. Edgar” in an attempt to hide an embarrassing film.

Shannon in N.C. Ca • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Or Gran Torino, which I enjoyed. But the scene of the attempted car theft was so dark, I didn’t know what was going on.

Broadway Ben • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

James Gandolfini would have been much better. If he was still with us

FTCS • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

So glad to see Clint directing this rather than A Star is Born. This should be great fun.

Cathy DeVito Ballaro • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

What a great choice for Gyp DeCarlo! Getting so excited to see this film and who else they cast.

bounder • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

But…but…who will play Joe Pesci as Joe Pesci is too old to play Joe Pesci?!?!?

And Walken will be great. This is coming together in a way that could, yep, result in a cool movie.

That said, people know the second half of the movie – the post-Four Seasons stuff – is actually quite sad/moving/ultimately uplifting, right?

randy • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

would rather des mcanuff direct and rick elice and marshall brickman write.

oh well. guess we get a pg treatment of an r story.

OUT ITTTT • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

This done–to–death mafia ‘vision’ debasement op
that –never ends.

Time for the talented Walken to get a flipcam
—and start makign movies for himself.

Time for everyone to do likewise.

Hollywood —IS ——NOWHERE!

mindyourbusiness • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

He is my all-time favorite actor, one of the finest there is. Electrifying acting all the way!

kimdi01 • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

This should be pretty good. Clint Eastwood is a good actor and a better director that also knows music. Christopher Walken is GREAT in everything he does!

Why is Clint still working ? Isn’t he like 20 years older than retirement age ? Doesn’t know how to relax, doesn’t drink, doesn’t like to travel ? Any ideas ? His recent films are great (I thought J. Edgar was excellent, as was Hereafter, I liked his last one, too, the baseball scout with failing eyesight).

Is he an egotist trying to create the longest legacy in Hollywood ? Or is he basically just a workaholic ?

J. P. • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

George Halas, owner and former coach of the Chicago Bears, used to still come to the team’s practices at age 76. A reporter asked him why he wasn’t relaxing at home or on a beach somewhere instead of coming to work. Halas replied, “It’s only work if you’d rather be doing something else.”

yellahdog • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

A young star that can actually sing should play the part of the younger Gyp Decarlo. Walken can then lip sync the songs if he has to perform toward the end of the film. I agree that Director Clint Eastwood’s films seem to have dark lighting that obscures older actor’s facial features, too bad for reality fans.

mike • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

It surprises many, but Mr. Walken sings much better than Sinatra lately.

Mensaman • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Fellas, we gotta have more cowbell.

Animal • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Damn! I was gonna say that! You took the words right out of my mouth.

Edie Fleming • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Clint Eastwood should look at the awesome, world-class, current South African cast of Jersey Boys who have made this an absolute crowd puller in South Africa for the past four months

clutch • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

christopher walken is the bomb look how great he was in deadzone i say rock on.

DJ Dave • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Excellent idea casting Walken in that role! He’ll make sure the movie will have more “Cow Bell”

frank • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

sounds like a box office hit

Big Al • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Eastwood-great. Walken-great. The show-great. To all the Eastwood haters: When you’re his age and can do what he does so easily, then criticize. Until then, just shut up.

Jessie • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Cowbell!!! Priceless!!!

Tommy • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

I LOVE hearing this. In my honest opinion, Christoher Walken isn’t as fully appreciated as he should be as an actor. He brings A+ acting skills to every single role he’s cast in. I’ve always been a huge fan of his and will continue to be. Any movie he’s in is gold i also feel the same way about Willem Dafoe another AWESOME underrated actor in my opinion.

Lynne • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

LOVE CHRISTOPHER WALKEN…..he’s such a class act.

jbn • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Saw the ‘off Broadway’– production at the Wilson Theater.

before the ‘Tonys’ — that’s the cast for Americ

John Lloyd Young was an absolute treasure in the part of
Frankie — course my wife’s maiden name id Young

‘nuf said!

Barbara Mayor • on Jul 23, 2013 4:40 pm

The retired Chicago cast of Jersey Boys, who are now touring as singing group Under the Streetlamp, would be perfect. They are extremely talented and handsome.